Will Al Franken Ask Obama To Stay Away?

According to a report in the Washington Post, President Obama has offered to avoid states where his presence would hurt vulnerable Senate Democrats.

The news came the same week that Congressional Quarterly announced that Sen. Al Franken votes with President Obama 100% of the time, and http://www.govtrack.us shows that he had the fewest bipartisan bills of any U.S. Senator. Republican Party of Minnesota chairman Keith Downey released the following statement asking if Sen. Franken will have President Obama campaign for him in 2014:

“Between voting for a healthcare law that is canceling insurance coverage and costing us jobs, Al Franken has a lot to answer for,” said Chairman Downey. “As President Obama’s number one cheerleader, Al Franken won’t be able to run from his record of putting his party first.”

Strib: “At Least 140,000 Minnesotans Will Lose Current Health Policies” Because Of Obamacare. “At least 140,000 Minnesotans who buy health insurance on their own are being notified that their plans will no longer be available under the new federal health care law, adding to the national furor over canceled policies that has overtaken the health care debate.”

(Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune, Oct. 31, 2013)

“More than 2 million Americans who would otherwise rely on a job for health insurance will quit working, reduce their hours or stop looking for employment because of new health benefits available under the Affordable Care Act, congressional budget analysts said Tuesday.”

(Source: Washington Post, Feb. 4, 2014)

President Offers To Stay Away From States With Competitive Senate Races. “President Obama, struggling with low approval ratings after a dispiriting year of setbacks, conceded in private remarks Wednesday that some fellow Democrats might not want his help in this fall’s elections. … ‘He said he knew he is not popular in some of the states so he would not be offended if he were not invited to visit them this year,’ said one senator who requested anonymity to discuss the private meeting. ‘But he said he could be helpful in some parts of some states.’”